Author Topic: growing & saving peas (Read 12141 times)

Debs · « **Reply #40 on:** March 03, 2011, 17:56:33 »

Goodlife - I'm growing them for peas, as I have lots of salad on the go

I have an empty piece of guttering in my cold greenhouse - would they survive if planted there &

we have a frost? ( I am in NE by the coast).

If they would be ok there, I shall sow some in guttering & some in 3" pots.

Debs

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #41 on:** March 03, 2011, 18:04:35 »

I start a dozen peas in a three-inch pot.

goodlife · « **Reply #42 on:** March 03, 2011, 18:50:01 »

Guttering should be fine..if you can still keep them cold GH or something like that untill they are couple of inches tall... ;)
1066...watering loo rolls has not been problem for me...I only do parnips on them though.

1066 · « **Reply #43 on:** March 04, 2011, 16:14:44 »

well they've started to germinate, a few tiny shoots have started to show 8)

About the fleece and pea moths. Do you guys fleece the peas from the start (at planting) or do you only fleece say in May onwards?

Thanks again peeps :)

saddad · « **Reply #44 on:** March 04, 2011, 16:17:10 »

If you are fleecing against pea moth you don't need to do it yet... if it's to get them growing then yes.. :)

1066 · « **Reply #45 on:** March 04, 2011, 16:20:08 »

thanks :) I'll give them some protection from pigeons and the like but will hold off with the fleece for now :)

goodlife · « **Reply #46 on:** March 04, 2011, 17:18:16 »

I only fleece against birds..as for against the moths..well, I think is bit difficult to do properly, there is always gaps left for moths to get in...actually I've never found moths to do that much damage..if there is plenty of of growth and peas about you might get odd pod with maggots.
Only time I've had moth problem was when I had some pea plants that were struggling to make decent growth for first place..so those odd pods were all having some 'visitors' inside >:( ::)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #47 on:** March 04, 2011, 22:55:04 »

It's not practical to fleece wigwams of tall peas. I might use rhubarb spray on one variety this year, to try and get moth-free peas for the show. I use lots of dangling CD's to deter the pigeons, which are reasonably successful as long as mature pods aren't left on the plants, and they don't get tangled up with the wigwams when the wind blows.

1066 · « **Reply #48 on:** March 05, 2011, 08:42:27 »

Hi Robert, it was Goodlife's photo on page 1 that was used for inspiration! Do agree with trying to keep things fixed on and tied down, we do get some blustery winds round here.
I keep meaning to take a look at what Joy Larkolm recommends.....

Digeroo · « **Reply #49 on:** March 05, 2011, 09:37:40 »

I have my peas outside under bottle cloches. I chit them on kithcne roll on north facing windowsill until root shows then it is straight outside. Some on lottie are over an inch high. Some varieities are very tough. Snow peas (Swiss giant) mangetout, latvian and purple podded in my experience all very tough. Last two have very pretty flowers I grow them through shrubs in the flower border at home as well.

I need to protect them against deer, voles, mice,rabbits, squirrels and deer. I have them in early as a deer and wind protection Our site is very windy from NorthWest so a screen of peas is great. The courgettes in particular benefit from the wall of peas so the sooner they are up the better. Luckily the deer do not seem to like the pods until they are dry.

Latvian very early but very small peas but nice for a bit of a nibble I do not think any have reached the pot.

I use cotton to deter the pigeons, they seem to have sussed out cds here. They do not seem to like threads they cannot see I think they hum in the wind as well. Lottie should hopefully be ok this year there is rape in the next field and a bird scaring system.

galina · « **Reply #50 on:** March 05, 2011, 10:48:19 »

As a rule of thumb, pea pods that set during June are entirely maggot free here, anything that sets during July can be maggotty. The trick is to sow early enough to get most of the harvest before July. Which fits in with food production in general, because from late June/early July onwards the first beans are ready and peas become less important. Having said that, last year we had practically no maggots on the later pods either. As we had another hard winter - maybe - the numbers are down again this year.

If I had late-sown peas I would fleece from the last week in June onwards.

Digeroo · « **Reply #51 on:** March 05, 2011, 11:02:54 »

I had problems with moth in a couple of varieties but neither of them were late, so they must have set the seeds in June. Never had a problem before. I have frozen all my peas before sowing this year to try and kill them off.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #52 on:** March 05, 2011, 12:36:25 »

The moth was back last year after a couple of years without due to the dreadful summers we had. They're easy to kill, but they survive in the soil. I haven't found the sort of detail I want on their life cycle, but there's something here:

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/techniques/pests/pea-moth.htm

Debs · « **Reply #53 on:** March 06, 2011, 19:14:53 »

Have sown in guttering & in seed tray in unheated greenhouse - approx 50 in total.

Having never sown peas before, don't know if i've overdone amounts :-\

Debs

manicscousers · « **Reply #54 on:** March 06, 2011, 20:56:55 »

we've done 2x 4' lengths of guttering today, hanging in the poly :)

galina · « **Reply #55 on:** March 07, 2011, 09:06:58 »

Quote from: Debs on March 06, 2011, 19:14:53

Have sown in guttering & in seed tray in unheated greenhouse - approx 50 in total.

Having never sown peas before, don't know if i've overdone amounts :-\

Debs

You can't overdo amounts with peas. 50 would be right for one person in our household. The overall yield is lower than beans, especially if you shell peas out of pods. There is more yield from mangetouts where you eat the pods as well and even more from pea shoots/mangetouts combined.

Then there is the percentage of peas that get consumed in the garden right away and never see the pot at all. ;D

1066 · « **Reply #56 on:** March 07, 2011, 10:12:37 »

Quote from: galina on March 07, 2011, 09:06:58

Then there is the percentage of peas that get consumed in the garden right away and never see the pot at all. ;D

That's the bit I'm really looking forward to most :D

We'll have to swap notes on our successes ~~and failures~~ Debs :)

elhuerto · « **Reply #57 on:** March 07, 2011, 11:22:20 »

Quote

You can't overdo amounts with peas. 50 would be right for one person in our household.

Spot on. I started off about 150 yesterday and will probably stagger the rest over the next few weeks.

1066 · « **Reply #58 on:** March 07, 2011, 15:54:35 »

elhuerto, when you say "sow the rest" how many more do you mean? I really want to suss this pea growing thing, in previous years my attempts have been pitiful! I've got approx 150 peas in various pots which will be planted out over the coming week or so, then I also have the specialty ones, which are mostly for seed saving. Oh, and there are only 2 of us :)

goodlife · « **Reply #59 on:** March 07, 2011, 16:24:40 »

One cannot have too many peas ;D..and I'm definitely not counting my peas :o ;D
I've just sown some spare peas for shoots into mushroom tray..I just 'chucked' several handfulls there...so that must be 100 easily..and some seed guardian stock for HSL..well that was 30+..and I haven't started for other seed saving peas nor those for cropping to eat later on.
I don't think I have enough fingers and toes for counting that far ;D
Look what you done now..do I really have to start counting my peas so I can satisfy my own curiosity now.. ::) oh dear..it's going to be long spring, I'm counting the days to summer already..and peas... :-X

News:

Author Topic: growing & saving peas (Read 12141 times)